Diamond In The Rough
by 0TheCluster0
Summary: The age old story. Boy meets girl, girl is an alien queen, alien queen abandons Empire to have a half-human child. Or: five glimpses into the relationship of Greg Universe and Blue Diamond. (A Prequel to Faded Blue)
1. Do You Believe In Destiny?

**_Authors' Note:_** Hello, folks! This is a prequel to our story Faded Blue, an AU where Steven's mother ended up being Blue Diamond instead of Rose. Both can be read independently, but provide context for each other.

 ** _1: Do You Believe In Destiny?_**

 _This_ , Greg was beginning to think, _might have been a bad idea_.

His whole life, Greg had wanted adventure. And he had found it. He'd spent his childhood staring up at the stars through a telescope, reading textbooks about supernovae and comets and asteroids. He'd gone to community college for a degree in physics, because his parents would have wanted him to have gone to college, and he couldn't think of anything else he wanted to study. But he'd never had much of a head for math; he had trouble memorizing equations; he'd found it hard to maintain focus on the long, long assignments. Greg had loved space, but he hadn't loved _astrophysics._

Greg had also loved music. Eventually he'd been forced to admit that his scientific aspirations weren't going to take him anywhere. He'd dropped out, changed his name, bought a van, and set to make his fame.

And he'd _made_ that fame. It had taken him on a tour around the world, all the way to Korea, which by anyone's estimates, should have counted as 'adventure'.

But _noooo_. Mr. Universe had wanted some more. Concerts weren't interesting enough. Groupies were exhausting. Cities felt cramped.

He'd heard a local folktale about a crying ghost that haunted the mountains. He'd been intrigued, and decided to head out there. Probably nothing, but fresh air would do him some good.

Which was why he found himself in the middle of nowhere, hiding in a bush, staring at a literal giant.

She didn't look much like a ghost, Greg thought— not that he had much experience there. She looked too solid. Too _real_. She was massive, for a start, at least five times taller than any person he'd ever seen. It was hard to be sure, the way she was crouched over.

She was facing away from him, hidden behind a long blue cloak. But Greg could hear her. A quiet sobbing, a murmuring.

" _Oh Pink,_ " the figure cried, "I am so sorry… It is my fault— I should have been able to stop it…"

Greg squeezed his eyes shut, trying to calm his frantically beating heart, trying to still his lungs, gulping for air. It wasn't fear, so much. It was just the understanding that he shouldn't be here. Whoever this woman was, she was clearly upset, clearly grieving. This was private.

He had to leave.

Crouching low, Greg began to creep backwards. Careful as he was, he couldn't stop himself from rustling the bushes.

"What are you doing over there?" the woman said, and Greg stopped cold. Was she talking to him?

"I thought I heard something," another voice answered, very soft.

Greg gulped. Should he run? Should he hide?

"I think we're not alone," the second voice said.

He didn't have the chance to decide before he was discovered.

The second woman was normal sized, but that was where any normalcy ended. Her skin was pale blue. She was dressed in a sheer, lacy outfit, like something a ballerina would wear on stage, but which was completely unsuited for the middle of a cool forest. Her eyes— if she even had them— were completely hidden. She jerked back a little when she spotted him, then went very, very still.

"Uh." Greg struggled through a dry mouth. "Hi?"

Neither of them moved.

"Pearl?" the giant called.

"My Diamond, I've found a native," the person— Pearl?— called back. If 'call' was the right word; her voice remained very soft.

Greg climbed to his feet. "Uuuh. I'm not really a native— I'm from the US, actually—"

"Bring it here," the giant said.

Before he could react, Pearl's hand wrapped around Greg's arm. Her skin was strangely cold, and hard, like glass. He could do nothing but let himself be pulled along, out of the bushes and towards the giant. He gaped as she turned. Her skin, too, was blue— a deeper shade of it, like the ocean. Underneath the hood, her hair was the most lovely white. Her cheeks were stained with tears, and underneath her eyes hung dark shadows. Beneath the sadness, however, Greg could see other emotions— surprise, compassion— and despite everything, she gave a small smile.

"How curious. I'm impressed by humanity's ability to survive in the wild. What a strange planet." Her smile faded, and she waved her hand towards a broken pink chair-thingy lying not far away. "Where else would a being as fragile as a human live, while something as powerful as a Diamond, perish? This is where it happened. Where she was broken."

His mind was reeling— Humanity? Planet? Diamond?— but Greg seized onto one word. "Broken?" he said. "Do you mean… killed?"

The giant regarded him, and then slowly, nodded.

Greg bit his lip. "Were you close?"

"Very."

"I'm— I'm awful sorry. I know how hard it can to move on after you've lost people you love."

Pearl finally released Greg's arm, as the giant came to peer at him more closely. "You do?"

"Yeah," said Greg. "My parents passed away a few years back."

"Parents?" she asked.

 _Does she not know what_ ** _parents_ **_are!?_ Greg thought.

"My Mom and Dad," he explained. When neither the giant or Pearl showed any recognition, he continued, "the people who… created me, I guess. My family. They raised me. We had our share of differences, but still… they helped me become the person I am today." He had to fight the rising wave of grief, push back against the tears. "But now they're gone. I… I try not to think about it too much. It's just— _hard_ , knowing they're never coming back."

"I'm surprised that a human is capable of understanding how I feel. It's a shame. There's—"

"Wait," interrupted Greg. "You say human like… you're not one."

"I am not," she said.

Pearl spoke up, still in that soft, whispery voice. "We are Gems."

"Gems," Greg repeated, his eyes drawn to the shining circle and diamond sitting embedded in the two figures' chests. He gave a slightly hysteric laugh. "Not ghosts, then."

"Ghosts?" the giant asked.

Greg gave another laugh, and quickly explained about the legend that had brought him here in the first place. The Gems listened intently, although with some growing amusement.

"A very peculiar species," the giant said, once he had finished his tale.

 _Species_. The way she said it, combined with all her other odd comments; it sent a thrill of something down Greg's spine. "Are you— are you aliens?"

"From your perspective, yes."

"Oh my— oh my goodness!" Greg felt dizzy. "Aliens! Actual real life aliens! I can't believe it. Like, from space and everything?"

"Indeed," the giant said. That amused smile had crept onto her face. "Would you like to see it?"

" _Would I_?" Greg said. "It's all I've ever dreamed of since I was a _kid_!"

The giant smiled wider, straightened—

— and then _showed him_.

She summoned a spaceship with a wave of her hand. It was huge, wreathed in clouds, shaped like a giant blue arm of all things. With Pearl trailing behind them, she lead them to another of those chair-thingies, this one undamaged and blue (he was beginning to sense a theme). It flew up into the spaceship, like the fastest elevator ever, making Greg's stomach flip as he stared through the delicate metalwork down at the world vanishing below.

Once in the spaceship proper, he was taken to a massive window— and there he stood, side-by-side with two aliens, staring down at the planet Earth as only astronauts ever had.

It looked so small. So small in the vastness of space. Like a jewel, shimmering in patterns of greens and blues and whites.

"It's beautiful," Greg breathed.

"It is, isn't it?" the giant said.

There was a silence as they just stared, enraptured.

"You know," she said, "I'm not really supposed to be here. But I am glad I came. And there is still time. I think I would like to see more of this world."

"You should!" Greg agreed. "It's a pretty great planet, if I do say so myself."

She laughed at that, a sound like the tinkling of glass.

Back onto the chair they went, and the aliens dropped him back to Earth. Greg stared around at the Korean countryside. Grass, trees, a light breeze rustling the leaves… it all looked so normal, so mundane, compared to the glory of space.

Mundane, except for the two Gems who stood among it all.

Greg hardly wanted to leave.

But he had to. He was hungry, and he had a show at eight-thirty, and— well—

"You will come back," the giant said.

"Absolutely. My heart yearns for the day that our stars shall cross again, oh lovely—" Greg stopped, and rubbed his neck, suddenly shy. "I— uh… sorry. I never actually caught your name?"

She drew herself up. "I am Blue Diamond."

"Blue Diamond," Greg repeated. He stuck out his hand. She stared at it, and he awkwardly lowered it. "I'm Mr. Universe." He mentally slapped himself over using his stage name; that was so _hokey_. "I mean— Greg. Greg Universe."

Blue Diamond graced him with another one of those brilliant, rare smiles.

"We shall meet again, Greg Universe."


	2. Need a Little Change

**Chapter Two: Need a Little Change**

The Korean spring was beautiful.

Truly, truly it was. The last of the winter's chill had finally faded away, and in its wake it left a world not just of soft greens, but the most brilliant pinks and yellows and whites.

Greg's main theme was cosmic stuff, but it was beautiful enough to inspire a couple of songs. He'd spent the entire car ride out to the mountains filling his note book with scraps of lyrics and chords, trying to string them all together in his head.

Unfortunately, once he arrived at the Palanquin, he discovered an unexpected side effect of the spring flowers. Or, well, maybe not unexpected. He'd only known Blue Diamond for a few short months, but already discovered how sensitive she could be about the color pink, how it would plunge her into painful recollections of the one she'd lost.

It was more than that, too. The other flowers brought the other Diamonds to mind as well. As they sat in the Palanquin's shade, or else wandered among the hills, Blue told Greg about them. Sometimes she cried as she spoke; sometimes she would grow distant; sometimes she'd become hard.

She'd talk about Yellow's fury. The hatred that had festered there. How she wanted nothing but to put Pink Diamond's death behind her, so that it would stop hurting. To get rid of anything that reminded her.

"And White… all she does is work. She barely speaks to us at all anymore. Not about Pink, not about anything."

Greg would hold her hand (or, well, a finger, actually), say understanding things, let her talk through it. He'd share about his own troubles with family. How his Dad had always hoped Greg would have more of a thing for business and finances. How Mom had always fostered his love of space, had dreamed about him one day becoming a famous physicist, maybe even an astronaut. How they'd both died in a car-crash, unexpectedly, when Greg had been only seventeen; how it had felt like his heart had been ripped out of him. How his extended family had stepped in to take care of him, but how that hadn't been without its own share of problems. They'd been a pretty conservative lot. They'd reacted even more badly to his musical aspirations than his parents had. And he'd been one of the luckier ones. When Aunt Deb had come out, the reaction had been so bad she'd ended up moving halfway across the country. Greg had felt a bit of a coward— dropping out of community college was nothing like what she'd had to put up with— but he just hadn't been able to take it anymore.

"I suppose that we are similar in that respect," Blue had commented once.

Greg had given a lopsided grin. "Well, that's good. We've got at least one thing in common!"

She'd laughed at that.

Greg loved those laughs. They were rare, and so he treasured each and every one of them.

He could tell, though, that dwelling on all these problems was only stifling that laughter. So while they shared in these things, Greg also sought ways to distract Blue. He'd sing songs to her. Tell her funny anecdotes about his concerts and TV interviews. Read her camp sci-fi. Tell bad knock-knock jokes that she only got about twenty-five percent of the time. Take her for long walks through nature, telling her the names of whatever plants and animals he knew.

Today, he'd been hoping to bring her down into the village.

They walked along the road towards town, always careful to keep behind the trees or the hills, where anybody who happened to be following the country road would be less likely to spot them. They chatted as they went.

Or rather, Greg and Blue did. Pearl came with them, but was silent as a shadow, usually only speaking if Blue asked something of her.

Blue had gone a bit ahead— something that happened a lot, since her strides were easily five times longer than theirs— but Greg didn't mind too much. While she was off examining a cherry tree, it gave him a chance to talk to Pearl. He figured it was about time they got to know each other.

"So," he asked her. "What's up?"

The alien's head tilted upwards. "Tree branches."

That was Greg's bad. He'd already learned that the Gems tended to take things literally. "I mean, how are you doing?"

Pearl was quiet for a few moments, before responding, "Is there anything you require, Greg Universe?"

"Nah, I'm fine." Greg waved his hand; he had enough yes-men in his life. He liked Blue because it gave him the chance to just _talk_ with someone. "So, how're you liking Earth?"

Pearl practically froze, and said nothing.

From up ahead came Blue's laughter. "Pearl can become easily overwhelmed."

"Apologies," Pearl whispered.

"Hey, it's cool. I get it." Greg gave her one of those soft, gentle smiles he used on his shyer fans. Slowly, Pearl returned it.

By then, they had caught up with Blue. The giant woman was peeking out over the canopy of the trees. "That must be it up ahead."

"Probably," Greg agreed. He couldn't see it from the ground, but they'd been walking for nearly an hour, so it had to be close. "What do you think?"

"It is very small. But also quite lovely, in its own little way."

"Yeah, well, it's a country town. Being picturesque is practically its job," said Greg. "I wish I could take you in for a closer look…"

Blue bent down from the trees and tilted her head at him. "Can you not?"

"Well, sure, I could, if I wanted to spark a panic." Blue Diamond only looked politely confused, and Greg was reminded again how little the aliens knew about Earth. "You're huge. If people saw someone the size of you, they'd freak."

"Stars," said Blue.

Greg scratched his chin. "If only there was a way you could be smaller…"

"There is a way, yes," said Blue. Greg couldn't suppress his grin. He'd been hoping she'd say that. The Gems had a lot of really cool powers, and he loved any chance to see them. "However, it is rather… unbecoming."

He raised an eyebrow. "'Unbecoming'? What do you mean?"

"To become smaller…" Blue shook her head. "It would be improper."

"And uncomfortable," added Pearl. Blue nodded.

Greg rubbed his neck. He didn't really get it, but it was just one of those species divide things. The Gems didn't get why he needed to sleep; he didn't understand what was wrong with changing size. "Well, I don't want you to be uncomfortable…"

He sighed. He'd really been hoping for the chance to show them more of human culture.

He was about to suggest they head back, when Blue said, "Perhaps you could go into town without me. Pearl can accompany you. You can both tell me all about it when you return."

Greg wasn't sure about that. It felt pretty rude to just leave Blue alone, but she assured him she would be fine. "Perhaps I will see another one of those… herons, you called them? With the long legs? They were very beautiful."

"Well, okay then," said Greg. "What do you say, Pearl? Wanna come?"

She gave a curtsy. "Of course."

They headed off.

Pearl wasn't the most talkative of company, but Greg didn't let her silence deter him. He chatted amiably as they went down the road proper into down, pointing out this and that. Occasionally something would catch her interest and she'd actually ask a question, which somehow felt like a reward in of itself.

As they came along the town's main street, Pearl garnered some looks because of her odd dress, blue skin and hair. Greg had been kind of afraid of that, and scared that the shrinking violet wouldn't take the attention well. She didn't even seem to notice, however. She simply carried on, and asked what kind of vehicle the kid ahead of them was riding.

"Oh, that's a bike," Greg said, and the explanation for that lasted him until they turned the corner.

It was, all in all, a relaxing afternoon. They stopped for lunch at a cute little restaurant, and while Pearl didn't eat anything, she did hold a hot mug of coffee in her hands and savoured the smell, which she said was ' _quite pleasing_ '. Afterwards, they strolled the shops. Greg bought some locally made candy, plus a couple pairs of new socks since he was running out. He wasn't just looking for those kind of basic knick knacks, however. He wanted to get something special for Blue. Something to show he cared.

But what? Chocolates were the obvious thing, but Gems didn't eat. Roses would've been very romantic, but considering the reaction flowers had gotten so far, he was afraid that might backfire. Something touristy, like a magnet or postcard? No, that was stupid.

"Hey, you've been friends with Blue for a long time, right?" he asked Pearl.

"I have served at her side for millennia," Pearl answered.

"Right," said Greg. "What kind of things do you think she'd like?"

Pearl considered for a long moment before answering. "Something pretty."

Something caught his eye as they passed a what looked to be a stationary shop. A traditional Korean print of herons flying.

No, not a print, Greg realized, when they came inside to get a closer look. It was a sketch book. A really nice, large one— or large for a human, at least. It would look ridiculously tiny in Blue's hands.

Still, it was the thought that counted, right? So he grabbed that, and a set of coloring pencils as well.

He noticed Pearl standing near the door, in front of a spinning rack of little jewelry and hair accessories, and felt his stomach flip in embarrassment. Sure, he wasn't dating Pearl (well, technically, he wasn't sure if he was dating Blue either) but it would be pretty rude to just buy presents for Blue Diamond right in front of her, and leave her out completely.

She was looking at a display of hair clips. "You like those?" Greg asked, pointing at the nearest one, a pair of sparkly gold stars.

"They are quite nice," she said.

"Sweet." Greg grabbed them, and put them in front of the cashier with the rest. Once he'd paid for them, he'd pressed them into Pearl's hands.

"For you," he'd explained, when she'd looked rather baffled.

"Oh. I see. Thank you."

(Greg tried not to feel to hurt when instead of putting them on, she stored them in her gem. Somehow. She was an alien. Surely she didn't mean anything by it.)

If Pearl's reaction to the gift was a let down, Blue's most certainly was not. Her whole face lit up, as she turned the book over and over in her massive hands. "It's absolutely lovely! What stunning art! I didn't know humans were capable of such things—"

And then, with a flash of blue light, she shrunk. Down and down and down. When it was over, she wasn't quite Greg's height— she still towered over him by a good head— but she was close enough that he could reach up and touch her face if he wanted.

And oh. He found he really, really wanted to.

Instead, he just laughed. "I thought you said shrinking was 'unbecoming'?"

"I'm a Diamond," she proclaimed. "Everything I do is inherently becoming. Besides. I wanted a closer look."


	3. What Can I Do For You?

_**3: What Can I Do For You?**_

One of the perks about being a super famous rock star was definitely the chance to make your own schedule. Well, not completely of course— there were still tours and shows and recording days he had to stick to. But otherwise, Greg could just hire people to take care of his finances and stuff, and spend the rest of his time chilling.

Most of that time he'd spent at the Palanquin. Blue had been taking on a human size more and more recently, and while he still adored her true form, he was taking advantage of the convenience of a size that allowed him to actually hold her hand. She could use the art book he'd gotten her easily, explore the forest without almost crushing trees and scaring animals away, go swimming in the river…

Oh, and they could kiss. Teaching her about that had been _fun_.

For now, though, they were just sprawled out on the grass, laying side-by-side, letting music from the stereo Greg had brought roll over them.

Greg's first instinct had been to bring nothing but rock, to share all his favourites. And while that did make up the bulk of the CDs he'd shipped, he'd tempered the urge a bit by realizing that he should let his new friends, who were literally aliens, discover all the musical diversity Earth had to offer. Modern K-Pop, 1920s jazz, musical theatre, the Blues, punk, rap… All of it. Greg had even tracked down some classical, even though most of that threatened to put him to sleep.

(Blue loved watching him sleep, so that wasn't all bad).

He turned to her as the last of the saxophone, guitar, and piano of the swing CD died away.

"So?" he asked. "What d'you think?"

Blue Diamond smiled at him. "It's lovely, especially for music not from Homeworld."

Greg's smile faltered a bit. That was a response to a lot of the songs he shared with her, to some degree or another, and it was getting… well. A little grating.

And not just music, either. Comments about how 'amusing' humans attempts at spaceflight were, or how charming their practice of keeping pets were, or how utterly _fascinating_ their little beliefs were, and how they certainly had nothing like that back home…

"You… really miss Homeworld, huh?" Greg asked.

"Not… 'miss', precisely. Though aspects of it, most certainly."

"Like what?"

So she told him. Told him about the buildings, all perfectly clean and shiny, which shimmered like sunlight reflected off water. About the amazing performances, performed by dancers and acrobats which could perform feats that no human would ever be capable of. About the joy it was to talk with a Gem fresh out of the ground, eyes still filled with wonder for her new life. About the stunning views of space, filled with stars and rings and black holes and a million other phenomenon that human scientists hadn't even theorized about. The sheer thrill of discovery when you landed on a new planet, and unprecedented opportunity to reshape it any way one desired…

Greg listened, awestruck. Lying on the grass, staring up at the dimming sky, he could picture it all so perfectly. Part of him wanted nothing more than to stay in that moment forever.

But a different part made him sit up, look at Blue, and ask, "But… you do like it here, right?"

"Oh, yes!" Blue trilled. "Of course. It's all so quaint."

"Quaint," Greg repeated. It wasn't the first time he'd heard the word pass her lips, not by a long shot.

"You have buildings shorter than I am. I suppose that's to be expected, but it is adorable." Then Blue got up, and made her way to the stereo. "Let us listen to something else. I admit curiosity to your older music…"

Greg didn't move to help her.

Adorable. Cute. Silly. Sweet. Amusing.

He clenched his fists. He didn't want to talk about this. He didn't. He had a good thing going with Blue. Maybe the best thing he'd ever had in his life. He didn't want to ruin it.

But… there was more than one way to ruin a relationship.

He stood up. "Blue?"

"Hm?" she said, not even looking up from the CDs.

Greg summoned his courage and asked, "I'm starting to wonder. Do you… respect me?"

Blue Diamond turned to him.

Looked him over.

And _laughed_.

It was a laugh like the tinkle of glass, and it sent shards plunging through Greg's heart.

"Oh. You really are so _funny_ , Greg Universe."

"Blue—" Greg said, but she was already looking back down at the CDs. "Blue!"

"Yes?"

"Can you just talk to me _for one second, like a real person_?"

Blue Diamond glanced up again, a smile playing at her lips. "If you'd like."

Greg knew that tone. That was the tone that kindergarten teachers used on five year olds.

"You can't, can you?" Greg said, shaking his head.

Now there was puzzlement mixed in with her amusement. "Why, of course I can. Now come, we will listen to this one—"

"No," Greg said.

Blue stopped. She looked surprised. _Shocked_.

"No," Greg repeated. "We have to talk about this."

It was growing truly dark now, and in the twilight it was becoming harder and harder to read Blue's expressions. "About what?"

"This!" said Greg. "Us!"

A little ' _tsk_ ' noise came out from the back of her throat. "I don't see why!"

"Well, I do!" Greg stepped forward, pulled the CD case from her hand, and let it fall to the ground. Looked her straight in the eyes, at those strange, diamond pupils.

"Greg Universe! You are being unreasonable!" she scolded. Scolded, like he was a misbehaving puppy.

" _I_ am not being unreasonable!" Greg said— or, no, yelled, he was yelling now. "We need to talk about this, figure this out, as partners, or— or—"

"Or what?" Blue Diamond asked, voice cold, as he descended into stuttering.

"Or I'll go!"

The air turned chill.

Blue Diamond stared at Greg Universe, and said nothing.

He waited, and still she said nothing.

"F-fine," Greg said. "Fine."

Struggling not to cry, he held his head up high, turned around, and began to walk away.

There was a flash of blue light behind him, tempting him to look back, but he stayed resolute. Kept walking… and walking… and walking...

"Greg."

He stopped.

"Why?" Blue Diamond asked.

He turned around slowly. Blue Diamond was at her full height, towering over him, and at that angle, he could barely see her eyes. He asked, "What?"

"Why do you want to leave? Have we… not been having… fun?"

Greg stared, speechless.

"Answer me!" she demanded.

"Can you… really not tell?"

"Tell what? I do not understand!"

Greg thought that might have been the first admission of 'not understanding' something since he'd first met her.

"It's just… the way you talk about Earth," Greg said. "And the town, and the music, and…" Blue Diamond said nothing. Her expression did not shift. "I know you're an alien and you must have such amazing things from your home planet. But if it's so much better than Earth, then... maybe you should go back there."

Blue leaned forward a little, frowning. "I enjoy being here. I enjoy being with you."

"Well it sure doesn't feel like it!"

She looked nearly as surprised by the outburst as Greg was. But it was like a dam had broken free, and he couldn't stop the rush of words even if he'd wanted to. "You just— you act like I'm just some _plaything!_ Like you're thousands and thousands of years older than me, and know more than I ever possibly could—

"But I am."

Greg's mouth opened and closed, opened and closed.

Well. Fine. _Fine_.

He stamped his foot, and turned tail. He didn't walk this time. He practically ran— he wished he'd never come here, had never met her in the first place—

But again Blue Diamond called out, and again Greg found himself stopping.

"I'm sorry, Greg."

Was she? Was she really? Was it possible from someone of a completely different species to truly understand another, to be sorry for the differences in their natures they couldn't help?

Greg didn't know. But he still turned back.

"I'm sorry," Blue repeated. "This is all... so new for me, it's all moving so quickly... I've never known any humans besides you…"

"Yeah. That's painfully obvious," Greg snapped.

"But— it's more than that. I've... I've never known any _Gem_ like you, either. Who treats me how you do. No one's been so kind to me since... since…"

She began to cry, and the world was bathed in blue.

Sadness rushed over Greg, pure and unadulterated. The tears he'd been holding back came free; he could no longer bother to hold him back. How he could he do this to her? Leave her, when she'd already lost so much? All he wanted to do was run to her, hold her, comfort her.

He fought the urge. These feelings weren't his, not completely. Blue Diamond had a way of… broadcasting her emotions. She couldn't help it.

He'd seen Pearl dealing with it, a couple times already, tears rolling down her face. But even in the great depths of Blue's grief, he'd never been affected.

But for whatever reason, he was being affected now.

Blue wiped her tears away, refocused on the man in front of her. The blue light faded, and with it, the sadness.

Or… some of it. Greg's own pain remained.

Blue Diamond said, "You treat me like an equal."

"Because… we _should_ be equals," Greg said. "I _want_ us to be equals. But if… if we're not…" The tears that streamed down his face were all his own. "I don't see how this is gonna work."

Blue Diamond got down on her knees, crossed her legs. There wasn't a lot of room in the grove, but somehow she managed to fit, being careful not to get close to him, not to hurt him, to give some space.

"I want this to work," Blue said.

Greg nodded, mutely. But he knew just wanting wouldn't necessarily be enough.

He took a step closer. Even with her sitting down, he had to crane his neck to look at her properly.

He phrased the question delicately. "Have you ever… been in a relationship before?"

Blue Diamond tilted her head. "Like… what the two of us have?"

"Yeah."

"No," she answered.

"Oh." Greg tried again. "Have you ever… loved anybody else before?"

"Have you?"

"Yes," Greg said.

"Ah." Blue hesitated before giving her own answer. "I… do not know."

 _She must have though_ , Greg thought. She'd loved the other Diamonds, and still did. It was evident in the way she spoke about them.

But… was that romantic? Or something like family? Or friendship? Or something else altogether, something alien, that Greg could never hope to understand.

"I still don't quite understand what love entails," Blue admitted.

There were so many responses Greg could have given. So many sweet song lyrics, about love's beauty and gentleness and warmth.

But what he said was, "It's torture."

She jerked back. "What? That's terrible!"

"No! No it's not," Greg said hurriedly. "Love… love is wonderful, really. But it hurts. To— to care for someone so much, but to be afraid they don't care for you back—"

"But... I think I do care about you…"

"I don't know that, Blue! You- you don't really act like it."

She looked thoughtful. "I... see."

"I want to be with you, Blue. But only if we're equals."

There was a terrifying moment that seemed to stretch for an eternity.

Finally, Blue Diamond answered. "I'll... I'll try. I promise, I'll try. I'll try as hard as I can."

Greg let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. "... okay. Okay."

They stood there, neither sure what to say next. What to do.

Greg was the first to move. He spotted the CD case, still sitting on the ground from where he'd tore it out of Blue's hands. He picked it up, but didn't put it on, instead placing it carefully next to the stereo.

Needed something more personal than that.

He pulled out his guitar, and sat down on the ground next to Blue Diamond, leaving a careful gap between him.

She motioned him closer. Greg hesitated.

"Only… only if you wish," Blue said.

Greg nodded, then shuffled in, probably staining his pants on the grass. That was fine. He came to rest right next to her massive leg. She was not warm like a human body, but cool, like a refreshing sea breeze.

He gave his guitar a brief tuning, and began to play.

When he was done, Blue told him it was the most beautiful song she had heard here, or on any other planet in the galaxy.


	4. Life of Solace

**Chapter Four: Life of Solace**

"Space really is beautiful. I've mentioned that before, right?"

Blue Diamond laughed. "A _couple_ of times, yes."

Greg tore his eyes away from the vista of swirling clouds below to see her face, glowing with amusement. She knew as well as he did that about forty percent of the songs he wrote was about how beautiful space was.

Another forty percent was about how wonderful _she_ was.

(The remaining twenty percent was about a wide assortment of topics, including flowers, herons, magic, self-discovery, vans, barbecue, Korean talk-show hosts, and The Balloon Incident.)

Greg leaned into Blue's side, and she leaned into his, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. It was very, very different than a human embrace. Cold, like being hugged by an autumn breeze. Not unpleasant, though. Even if it made the hair on his arms stick up with goosebumps, he was more than content then to just stand there, staring out the window of the spaceship, marvelling at the roiling swirls of storms raging far below on Jupiter's surface.

"Thanks for bringing me up here," he said.

"It is my pleasure," said Blue. "And hardly difficult. I should have done it far sooner."

"You did, remember? The very first day we first met."

He elbowed her gently in the ribs (or where the ribs would be on a human). She felt… stiff. Looking at her, Greg realized that wasn't just the usual hardness of her constructed form. Her lips were pressed together, and her eyes had grown distant.

"Blue?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, voice low. "Yes. I remember."

Greg pulled away to face her properly. "Blue, hun, what's wrong?"

"... Just remembering."

Greg wanted to say something then— make a glib remark, or pry a little— but in the years he'd known her, he'd learned that sometimes Blue just needed a little time. Time to collect her thoughts, to open up. So he waited, and she did.

"I almost made a grave mistake that day," she said.

"What?"

Blue looked down at the floor. "I nearly stole you."

Greg stared at her.

And they he laughed.

" _Stole me_?" he repeated, shaking his head. "Really?"

She was shocked. "Yes!"

"Wow," said Greg, and he laughed again. " _That's_ why you brought me onto your ship? To abduct me? Like a campy 60s sci-fi flick?"

"You're… not mad?"

Greg shook his head again. "I just… wow. I hadn't even _realized_." He rubbed his eyes— man, he had been pretty naive. "What were you gonna do with me, then? Keep at the bottom of your throne or something?"

"I was going to put you in a specifically designed facility, if you _must_ know," Blue said, sounding affronted. "And I hardly think this is a laughing matter. If I'd taken you then— if I hadn't stayed on Earth— I never would have learned about it, about you— I would have—"

He seized her by the hand, stopping her before she could get too overwhelmed. He looked her straight in the eyes. "It's okay," he told her. "Blue, it's okay. It didn't happen."

"But— I could have—"

"But you _didn't_. And anyway, it's in the past." He leaned forward, and pressed a quick kiss on her lips. "I forgive you."

She blinked at him. Her brilliant blue eyes were misty. "You're so quick to forgive, Greg. I don't know how you do it."

He shrugged. He'd never been one to hang onto problems of the past. "Heh, honestly, in retrospect, it makes for one of those cute couple stories."

"... couple stories?"

"Yeah, you know. The kind you tell friends, or your kids. Funny stories 'bout how you met, kinda thing. Like, with me and Monica."

"Monica," Blue repeated, looking thoughtful. "She is the girl you dated in 'high school', correct?"

"Yeah, that's the one. Met her in chemistry class. My beaker boiled over and completely ruined all the experimental results she'd written up." He laughed. "I spent all weekend helping her out with the assignment, to make it up to her. Worked out, though, because once we were done, she asked me out."

Blue smiled. "That is a good story."

"Thanks." Greg smiled at the memory— it hadn't lasted with Monica, but he'd liked her. He wondered what she was up to now.

He felt Blue's hand slip into his, like a glass sculpture against his skin. He squeezed. He gazed out the window again, admiring Jupiter's big red spot as he passed below.

Man, if sixteen year old him had known where he'd be in ten years' time…

Blue's grip against his was very tight, almost uncomfortably so. She was still tense from their discussion, and Greg set it upon himself to distract her. "Hey," he said. "That song I've been working on. I've still been having some trouble with the lyrics. Wanna help?"

Blue eagerly told him that yes, she would.

They hit a bit of a snag, since Greg had left his guitar at home (on _Earth_ ), which meant he couldn't play out the tune to really get it into his head. Thankfully, Blue had heard him composing the other day, and sung it for him from memory, her voice high and pure and sharp—

"Great," Greg said, once she'd run through the notes once. "Now I just need some kind of theme…"

"Stars?" Blue suggested, a playful smile on her face.

"Well, now that you mention it, that was on my list, yeah."

"You truly do have niche," she teased. She had turned away now, and brought up a holographic console from the wall, and was using it to steer the ship away from Jupiter.

"I do, and I'm proud of it. I get to write about the two most spectacular things in the cosmos."

He winked at her, and she _blushed_.

"Okay, seriously," Greg said, turning back to the matter at hand. "I _do_ want to write something about us. And I don't know… just 'bout how lucky we are to have met. I mean, it's just so unlikely, you know? That I ended up hiking in the mountains on the day you were visiting? It feels like…"

"Fate," finished Blue.

"Yeah," Greg agreed. "Written in the stars."

Blue gave him a curious look, and then turned to look out the window, which was now filled with the void of space, and the light of galaxies many thousands of lightyears away. "That is a human idiom, yes?"

"Yeah," Greg agreed. "I guess it must seem rather silly to you guys. You've known for millennia that stars are just big balls of hot plasma."

"That is true. But we Gems have great respect for stars, regardless. They are the power sources of the universe. Their heat forges new elements, draws planets into solar systems, and gives them the energy for life to form on their surface." Her eyes seemed to glitter as she stared out across the void. "They are powerful, and they are ancient. I am as young to a star as you are to me."

Greg really, really wished he had a notebook on him, because that stuff was _gold_.

Blue turned back to him. "So yes. My people have beliefs about stars as well. Though nothing quite as fanciful as your constellations."

He grinned, recalling the night he'd attempted to show Blue the constellations, only to discover once they'd been lying down and staring up at the dark sky that Greg didn't actually recognize any of them on Korea's side of the planet. They'd later taken a trip to somewhere in the middle of The Great White North just so he could point out the Big Dipper and Ursa Major, but that night, Greg had drawn pictures as best he could in Blue's notebooks and told the stories from memory. Then they'd lay back down, and made up their own constellations, and myths to go with them.

Greg began to sing:

" _To my consternation_ _  
_ _I can't rhyme constellation…_ "

"Nation," suggested Blue. "Station, ration, carnation, elation."

" _So how do I write those into my song?_ ~" Greg sung.

"I believe that's _your_ job," she teased.

"That's no help!" joked Greg. But she had a point. He'd learned from experience that usually, if you had to try and force a rhyme, it usually wasn't meant to be. "Hmm… maybe I'll try with Zodiac, instead…"

"Is that supposed to be easier to rhyme with?"

"Sure. There's, uh, black, and back, and… whack?"

He tried a few lines on for size ("Brilliant white against deepest black/My celestial Zodiac", "Guiding light like a Zodiac, somehow you brought me back…") but those, too, didn't quite seem to be working. Still, Blue was patient. The two of them worked together, bouncing ideas off one another, joining in a two part chorus. By the time the spaceship slipped back into Earth's atmosphere, the song had begun to take shape…

 _"It seemed unlikely, and yet here we are_

 _A pair too different, it's real bizarre_

 _But up above the world so high_

 _Our destiny's writt'n in the sky_

 _Throughout the darkness, you brighten my days_

 _No matter what, I'll love you always_

 _Twinkle, twinkle, my beloved star_

 _Since crossing paths with you, we've come so far_

 _Twinkle, twinkle, my beloved star_

 _Oh how I wonder who you are..."_

oOo

 **Authors' Note:** A big shout-out to our wonderful editor AiramCG, who in addition to doing their usual polishing, also wrote the lyrics (and indeed, the musical chords) to this song featured in this chapter!


	5. Lovely in Theory

**6: Lovely In Theory**

"It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" Blue asked.

"Y-yeah," Greg said, voice catching a little. But it was beautiful. A soft summer's day, the sun half-hidden by clouds so that it wasn't too hot, but the landscape around them was still clearly lit, the green of the grass and the colors of the flowers as bright as could be.

Blue smiled as she stared out at it. "I'm glad our child will be born here."

Greg, personally, still kinda wished their kid would be born inside a hospital, with lots of professional doctors and nurses around, just in case something went wrong. But he knew why they couldn't do that— probably best to keep any half-alien babies outside the eyes of the medical community. So he nodded.

They stood there for a while, hand in hand, just staring out across the landscape. Watching the clouds drift through the sky, shadows dancing across the hills as they passed.

Blue grunted with pain.

"Dear?" Greg said, turning to her, holding her tight.

"It's fine," she said, clutching her swollen belly. Her voice was kept deliberately light, but couldn't completely hide her tension. "Just— a contraction."

Greg nodded. "Time to— to get you ready, then."

They'd already prepared as much as they possibly could. Blankets and towels were laid out, covering enough space that it was practically a tarp. It was probably overkill (Blue certainly thought so) but Greg wanted there to be as much space as possible in case the Gem lost control of her shapeshifting and returned to her normal size. There were piles and piles of books on birth and childcare. They'd been read cover to cover, but Greg still had them there, just in case. There were buckets of water from the nearby spring, all of it boiled by some magical heating device. There were sterilized knives and scissors, silver nitrate, a suction pump, warm bottles of prepared milk formula… everything the baby would need when they came out.

No painkillers. They didn't work on Blue. Maybe they'd work on their child, but even if it did, and even if they were necessary, there was no way Greg was going to be mucking around with dosage on a newborn.

Blue laid herself out, propping herself up on a pillow. She was breathing fast, even though she didn't need oxygen. Greg clutched her hand, offering what comfort he could.

"Where's Pearl?" he asked, looking around.

"She will not be coming," said Blue.

"Oh." Greg bit his lip. Not that he could blame Pearl— it had to be so hard, losing her oldest friend— but still. He wished she could be here.

Contractions started coming faster, and Blue spread out her legs, getting ready. She was clutching at a pillow so tightly that she'd popped it open. There was a reason she wouldn't hold his hand

"Greg," she said, between ragged breaths. "Greg, it _hurts_."

"I know, love, I know," Greg said.

Pearl wasn't here, but they weren't alone, Greg noticed. They were surrounded by animals. Birds of all kinds perched on the tree branches, there were deer staring out from the bushes, and boars and raccoon-dogs and even a _lynx_!

Greg felt pinpricks spread down his skin, but he didn't shout out. Freaky as it was, it wasn't entirely unexpected. A couple years ago, Blue had realized she could _understand_ what some animals were saying. She said it was very hard to make it out, and required a lot of focus, and much of what they said seemed nonsensical— but nonetheless, she'd persisted, and every managed to become friends, of sorts, with them.

And now they'd come to say goodbye.

Greg's eyes burned with tears.

Blue was moaning and moaning now, and the baby was coming, and Greg felt almost completely useless, flailing around—

Maybe this had been a bad idea. It was too dangerous, too risky. And even if it was successful, he wasn't sure if…

"I love you, Blue."

"I love you too, Greg Universe."

Blue Diamond was crying. It wasn't an unusual sight. But it looked different, this time. Despite the pain, she was smiling.

Greg smiled back. They'd worked too hard at this to give up now. He wanted it. Blue wanted it. They wanted it _together_.

Blue rested a hand on her belly, and said, "Take care of them."

And there was a flash of blue light. It left Greg blinded, from the brightness and the tears.

By the time he'd finally blinked both away, there was a little child lying naked on the blankets, crying, crying, crying.

Greg rushed to the baby, picked them up, held them to his chest, even though they were bloody and messy. He looked up and around, suddenly fearful of predators. But they were gone. It seemed they'd left with Blue.

Greg cleaned their child off. A blue diamond sparkled in their chest, making up almost their entire torso. Even so, it was much, much smaller than Blue Diamond's had been. Must've shrunk during the— the birth.

Magic.

Same reason the baby had an adorable belly button tucked in just beneath the point of the gem, despite never having an umbilical chord to snip.

Blue and Greg had picked out two names for their child. Steven for a boy, Stella for a girl. Maybe one day, the kid would choose something different. But for now…

"Hello Steven," Greg crooned. "Heya. I'm your Daddy. Nice to meet ya."

Steven wailed, his eyes clenched tightly shut.

"Shh, shh. None of that now," murmured Greg. "It's alright. It's alright, Daddy's got ya..."

Greg grabbed one of the baby bottles. He checked the temperature of the milk on the back of his hand, just like the books said. He thought it probably felt about right. No way to be sure, not yet.

If it was off, little Steven didn't seem to mind. As soon as the bottle was in his mouth, he settled, clutching at it and sucking hungrily.

"That's right..." Greg pressed a kiss to the baby's forehead.

He was so adorable. Absolutely perfect. He wished Blue could've seen him.

The baby finished the bottle remarkably fast. He squirmed a little, and Greg was afraid he might start to cry again. Before he could, Greg started to rock him, and grasped around in his mind for a song to sing.

Greg intended to start out with one of his own pieces, or one that he'd written together with Blue. It seemed fitting. But his mind was tired, and what came out instead was this:

" _Twinkle, twinkle, little star_ _  
_ _How I wonder what you are…_ "

Steven sighed in Greg's arms, and pressed his soft face into Greg's chest.

 _"Up above the world so high_ _  
_ _Like a diamond in the sky…_ "

Still humming the lullaby, Greg and Steven left the Palanquin behind, and set off for home.

oOoOo

 **Authors' Note:** And that's all folks! Hope you enjoyed it.

Though, of course, Faded Blue itself is still continuing with weekly updates. And next Friday we'll begin our second prequel: 'A Gem, a Human and a Baby', giving some of Blue Pearl's perspective on all of this.


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